FIFTEENTH ANXUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 5U 



of Iowa. The American National Live Stock Association was represented 

 by Judge Cowan, of Texas, and its secretary, T. W. Tomlinson, of Denver. 

 The live stock exchanges of Chicago, Kansas City and Omaha were also 

 represented by able and efficient men, and the Military Tract Live Stock 

 Shippers' Association, of Illinois, sent its president and secretary. 



The hearing occupied two days, and almost all of one night. A large 

 number of stockmen testified as to the value of the different kinds of 

 live stock, and in favor of the changes for which we were asking in the 

 live stock contracts, and the strong combination of live stock interests 

 certainly made a strong impression in favor of our position — so strong, 

 in fact, that when the testimony for the complainants was closed, the 

 railroads, through their attorneys, announced that they would offer no 

 testimony on their behalf, and admitted that the stockmen's testimony 

 was practically correct, and they would not attempt to defend the 

 present low valuation in the contracts, nor the exorbitant increases in the 

 rates where increased valuations were declared by the shipper. They 

 stated frankly that those clauses were indefensible, and should be 

 changed, but indicated their feeling that if the valuations were to be so 

 radically increased, a slight increase in rates should apply, ranging from 

 three to five per cent, upon which contention their arguments would be 

 based. This closed the case so far as evidence was concerned. 



In September, the printed briefs were submitted to the commission by 

 all the parties interested, and on November 4th the oral arguments were 

 presented before the entire commission, at Washington. The case was 

 thereupon closed, and taken under consideration by the commission, and 

 we expect a decision about the first of the year. 



During this same time, your officers, in conjunction with Judge Cowan, 

 were endeavoring to secure the passage of a bill by congress known as 

 the Cummins bill, which would prevent railroads from limiting their 

 liability by contract, and give shippers longer time in which to file their 

 claims. This bill was re-introduced by Senator Cummins early in the last 

 session, and at once referred to the committee on Interstate and Foreign 

 Commerce, of the senate. The fact that Senator Cumnjins is a member 

 of this committe gave him an advantage, and he secured a favorable 

 report on his bill, and in June it was passed by the senate by a good 

 majority. It was then sent to the house, where it fared very badly. 

 When introduced, it was at once referred to the committee on Interstate 

 and Foreign Commerce of the house of representatives, where it was al- 

 lowed to sleep peacefully for some time. But finally, through the efforts 

 of Congressman Bourland, of Missouri, and Congressman Towner, of Iowa, 

 we succeeded in stirring up the committee, and the bill was referred to a 

 sub-committee of seven members. This sub-committee, at the instance 

 of the railroads, finally set a hearing upon it for September 21st, giving 

 us four days' notice for preparation for and attendance upon the hearing. 

 But, notwithstanding the limited time given us, Chairman Thorne, of the 

 Iowa railroad commission; Judge Henderson, Commerce Counsel, and 

 your president, went at once to Washington, and, in conjunction with Judge 

 Cowan, of Texas, and others, began preparations for the defense of the 

 bill before the committee; so that, when the hearing opened, it found 



